West losing battle over ‘Putinization’ of Europe?
European Union officials are seeking to calm an escalating fight with Poland after its new government made moves some of its partners fear will lead to tighter political control over… Read more »
Category: Democratic institutions
China: ‘unprecedented’ crackdown on organized labor
Authorities have arrested four labor activists who were helping campaign for workers’ legal rights, Reuters reports. The number of known strikes in China surged to a record 2,774 in 2015–double… Read more »
South Africa faces toughest test since transition
South Africa faces what some believe is its toughest economic period since it made the transition to democracy in 1994, The Financial Times reports: Some of mineral-rich South Africa’s woes… Read more »
Down the Rabbit Hole: the UNHRC’s Universal Review Process
As part of a National Endowment for Democracy project addressing the voting records and activities of the United Nations Human Right Council (UNHRC), Chris Sabatini and Amy Williams examine the recommendations… Read more »
Pillars of Poland’s democracy under threat
Poland, the pivotal power in post-communist central Europe, is in danger of being reduced by its recently elected ruling party to an illiberal democracy, argues Timothy Garton Ash. Basic pillars… Read more »
Morocco’s changing civil society
Moroccan activists formerly associated with the February 20 Movement are redirecting their focus to cultural activities away from overtly political demands, Dörthe Engelcke writes for Carnegie’s Sada Journal. On December… Read more »
Anxious Dictators, Wavering Democracies
The findings of Freedom in the World 2016, Freedom House’s annual assessment of political rights and civil liberties, will be released on Wednesday, January 27, at 9:00-10:30 a.m. This year’s report… Read more »
Friends, Foes, and Future Partnerships in a Turbulent World
To achieve its strategic goals, the United States relies heavily on its allies and coalition partners—the “outer defenses” of America’s security system, notes RAND analyst Hans Binnendijk. It needs partners… Read more »
The Arab Spring five years later
Five years have passed since the self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi in Tunisia sparked revolts around the Arab world and the beginning of the Arab Spring. Despite high hopes that the… Read more »
Adapt or perish: the new normal for civil society?
One of the primary tactics governments are using to repress civil society is the stigmatization of activists and organizations. As such narratives have gained traction, donors and civil society leaders… Read more »